Little Falls transcript., 1887-05-20
PROFESSOR CHARLES.
BY FLORINE THAYER M'CRAY.

It was the night before the summe,
vacation at the old Bradford Female
Seminary. Studies and recitations
had been carried on with some difficult
ty and irregularity during the day
and glynpse into the double room
"44" would have shown the astonish
ed principal that the girls were max
ing night of it as only boarding
school girls know how to do. Water,
proof cloaks darkened the windows
a line OF jaunty wraps ofvarious styles
hung up and down the cracks in the
doorway. and p dark shawl spread and
tackled carefully over the transom pre-
vented any ray OF light penetrating the
dark hall after tho bell should have
rung, with all the young ladies sup.
posed to be in bed. It was half.past
nine, and, in anticipation OF the pro.
voking and quite inexcusable custom
of the ins titution which shut off the
gas from the halls promptly at ten.
numerous candles mostly reduced to
stubs and placed in the noses of black.
ing g-bottles and small vases, burned be.
fore the mirrors of the dressing cases
and on the little book-shelves and
window-sills. Eleven girls, in various
conditions OF toilet, arranged entirely
to suit the taste OF the wearers, sat
about the room, and while preparar
tions for feast were evidently com.
plete, they waited.
"Well," said Jennie Bemis, who sat
on the floor with her plump little
hands clasped about her knees, shak.
ing her closely cropped curly head i'm
patiently, ''this is little too much!
Now that we have everything ready
for lovely time, Ben must 90 and
--ah! absent herself"
This remark, finishing with a perfect
imitation OF the most precise of their
teachers, raised general giggle, which
was speedily suppressed by whisper.
ed-"sh! Do you want 'Prisms' her
self to knock at the door?"
"It is a cruel sin for Ben to stay
away like this" said pretty Kitty
Glazier, who sighed, and then pro-
ceeded to fish q small piece OF
candied ginger out of the jar
with hairpin. This sweet morsel
she was munchingp penslvely, unnoticed
by the girls who lounged around, un-
til Fan Kendall-a saucy, red.haired
nymph, who lay upon the bed, her
arms folded under her bright head
suddenly cried out in remonstrance:
exit, think you might wait for
the rest OF us! It is bad enough to
see all these things spelling for want
OF eating, without you picking
around"
Fan pouted. and as she arose to a
sitting posture continued: "Now,
what's to be done! We have waited
for Ben one hour. If she chooses to
keep away, I move that we GO on
without herr'
"We might wait fifteen minutes long
er," said Florence Healy, tail, dark
haired girl, who sat in sthe rocking
chair, in q white wrapper, and sup
ported the dignity becoming the presi-
dent of the secret society of 1.-THE
Mystic Twelve" which, lacking a
member, were there assembled. ave
cannot very we'll open the door, or
Sue might go and look for her." She
looked inquiringly at the others.
"No, mol 'Prisms' would be sure to
catch q gleam OF light" said Jennie;
"and--I am surprised! At this hour,
young ,adies!' again giving an inimit-
able representation of the manner OF
Miss Perrin, irreverently dubbed
"Prisms" By the girls. just then a
muff1ed knock, repeated :hree times,
was heard at the door. There was a
general stir. "Ah! there IS Ben at
lastl" 5'55
"What can have kept you away un-
til this timer they cried. "We have
been waiting q full hour!"
A petite figure, with curling brown
hair, which was disheveled and part
awry; pair ofbrown eyes which were
large with mixed emotions and weari-
ness: and a bright flush on the fair
cheeks-this was Ben as she slipped in
to the room and threw herself down
on the tumbled bed with despairinR
gesture. ~ y 5$55 II .2i5ssFF7s. r.,
don't speak to mel. Don't say a
wordl" she cried. ''I'm almost dead.
I thought should have tainted away!
Oh, how my back aches!" But she
soon arose, and tossing back her thick
bang with quick hand, looked about
the group Of impatient girls with g
face full of my sterious import, and
asked, with . touch Of her forefinger
on the knee Of the nearest: Where
do you suppose i have been for the
last mortal hour?'' 81
''ln F. WIS study, getting 8 lecture
Tor Laughing at prayers = II
In the music-rooln, receiving q
proposal of marriage from Professor
Charles"
The last sally provoked q loud
utter, for Ben had taken it upon
herself to be sentimental over the
handsome professor, in spite Of his
teacher, and had raved about him 10
her eleven confidential friends IN .
manner which was the moro edecting
rom the hopelessnsss Of her assumed
passion.
But Florence Healey blushsd IL
most angrily, and sad
y n Nonsense! Come, Ben, letus know
what has detained you 90 long
y vii, /" was the ansWsr; .'but pre-.
vtousIy lets hnve sonnet hing Ia eat.